Signobs to hieam allen and loeen allen



(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 1.

H. ALLEN & L. S. MASON.

RRooRss 0]? AND MACHINERY FOR PREPARING PULP FROM PAPERS.

No. 320,612. Patented June 23, 41885.

ITNEEISEEI NVENTDRSI N. PETERS. PhcnrLilhcgmphor, Wnlhingtun. u. c.

(No Model.) 5 sheets- -sheet 2.

H. ALLEN & L: S. MASON.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR PREPARING PULP PROM PAPERS. No. 320 612. P tented June 23, 1885.

. 715! FIG. 2-

NVENTORSI N. PETERS. Fhalvhlhogmphen Wahington, n. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. ALLEN & L. S. MASON.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR PREPARING PULP FROM PAPERS. NO. 320,612. PatenteiJune 23, 1885.

\NITNESSESI t N PETERS Phom-Lithognphlr. wmin m, n. c

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

H. ALLEN & L. s. MASON.

PROCESS OF AND MAGHINERYYPOR PREPARING PULP PROM PAPERS. N0. 320,612. tentedJ-line 23, 1885.

" FIG. 5.

FIG- 7.

N. PETERS. PhulmLithognphen Waihinglcn, D c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

H. ALLEN 8: L. S. MASON.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR PREPARING PULP PROM PAPERS. No. 320,612. Patented June 23, 1885.v

FIG. 9-

\NITNESSESI INVENTORSZ N. PETERS: mmimb a mr, Mia-mum";

UNlTED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

HlRAM ALLEN AND LYMAN S. MASON, OF SANDY HILL, NEW YORK, AS- SIGNORS TO HIRAM ALLEN AND LOEEN ALLEN, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINERY FOR PREPARING PULP FROM PAPERS.

i ECIFEGA'EION forming part of Letters Patent No. 820,612, dated June 23, 1885.

(No model.)

To (all whom it Ynez-y concern.-

Be it known that we, HIRAM ALLEN and LYMAN S. Mason, citizens of the United States, residing in the village of Sandy Hill, in the county of Washington and State ofNew York, havejointly invented new and useful Improve ments in the Art or Process of and Machinery for Preparing Pulpfrom Papers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in processes, mechanical devices, and combinations of contrivances for transforming printed and other papers into pulp suitable for use in making paper.

In papers the fibers are held together by sizing, and by being partially felted, and are already as small and short as it is desirable to have them when transformed into pulp for paper, and in repulping papers it is of very great importance that their fibers shall be separated into pulp without being materially reduced in length.

The general object of this invention is to provide superior processes and mechanisms for progressively loosening, tearing apart, and

removing dust from old papers; for progressively transferring the papers in loose condition from the dusting mechanism into the pulping mechanism, and for very gradually 3o reducing the papers to pulp, and removing the ink and sizing therefrom, and bleaching the pulp, all with only very little waste or destruction or reduction in length of the fibers of the papers, and at a very chcap rate.

In our improved process for transforming old printed papers into clean fine bleached pulp in water the dry papers are progessively subjected to the tumbling, beating, tearing, and screening action of a rotary sell dischargo ing dusting engine, and then progressively introduced in loose condition into water in a circuit-vat, with or without alkali in the water, and therein subjected in heated alkaline water to the oft repeated and prolonged sub 5 merging and soft disintegrating or fiber-separating and ink-discharging action of a currentproducing paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels rorating in the heated alkaline water in thevat. Then the coarse pulp in water is further reduced, and the dissolved or disengaged ink and sizing removed by subjecting the coarse pulp in water, and with added water to the soft beating, disintegrating, and washing action of a current-producing paddle-wheel or paddlewheels, and a straining-wheel or straining-wheels, slowly and deeply rotating in the vat, and then the cleaned pulp in water is further refined and bleached by subjecting the same with a suitable bleaching agent in a circuit-vat to the soft reducing action of a paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels slowly and deeply rotating in the vat, and the excess of bleaching agent subsequently neutralized or washed out by a rotary strainer or strainers Mechanisms which are useful in carrying out our improved process for producing clean bleached pulp in water from old printed papers, and which embrace the mechanical parts of our invention, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents one form of our improved dusting-engine, pulping mechanism, and pulp reducing and washing mechanism in longitudinal section, with a pulp reducing, bleaching, and washing mechanism in side elevation, all combined for conjoint use, the section being at or about the lines z z in Figs. 2, 3, and 4., and viewed in the direction pointed by the arrow 3 in those figures. Fig. 2 represents the same dusting-engine, pulping mechanism, and pulp reducing and washing mechanism, with duplicates ofthe pulping and pulp reducing and washing mechanisms, all in transverse section, and the same pulp reducing, bleaching, and washing. mechanism, with a duplicate thereof, in end elevation, the whole being connected together for conjoint use, substantially as in Fig. 1, and the main sections being at or near the linesa" x in Figs. 1 and 4, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow 10 in those figures. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same dusting-engine and feeding appliances shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing of the dusting-engine being represented in horizontal section. Fig. 4. is a plan of the two pulp- 5 ing mechanisms shown in Fig. 2, portions of the covers being broken out to show the paddle-wheels and the course of the current of pulp in water throughout the circuit-vats. Fig. 5 shows on a larger scale, in side eleva- 10c tion and partial vertical longitudinal section, the dusting-engine represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the section being at about the line 10 w in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 represents a transverse section of the same dustingengine at about the line no in Fig. 5, and viewed in the direction pointed by the arrow at in that figure, with an elevation of modified driving devices. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a section at about the line if t in Fig. 5, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow 8 in that figure. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the exterior of the same dusting-engine illustrated in the other figures with feeding appliances. Fig. 9 is a perspective representation of a circuit-vat furnished with a paddle-wheel and a rotary washer, and arranged to receive papers in loose condition from the dusting-engine, and suitable for use in transforming the papers into fine washed and bleached pulp.

Like parts are marked by like letters in the different figures, and the directions in which some of the parts move in use are indicated by adjacent arrows.

Ais the stationary support for the mechan isms; B, a paper-dusting engine, and O D E O D E circuit-vats.

The dusting-engine B has a rapidly-revolving beater, F, Figs. 5, 6, 7, within a tubular slowly-rotating screen, G, that is open at its ends and is incased closely about its ends and loosely at its sides by a cover, H, that has a feed-opening,a, in one end and a dischargepassage, b, at the other end. The general action of this dusting-engine is similar to that of some other dusting engines heretofore used-that is, papers introduced at the feed aperturea into the slowly-rotating screen will be therein rapidly struck, tumbled, and loosened up repeatedly by the fast-revolvingbeater, so as to separate from the papers dust and dirt, that may then fall down through the meshes of the screen onto the bottom of the casing as the papers are progressively beaten and tumbled along through the screen and are discharged in loose condition at b, Fig. 1.

Each of the circuit-vats has an essentiallylevel or not materially-obstructedbottom, and is furnished with a paddle-wheel constructed and arranged so that as the wheel revolves its paddles shall pass down from above the top to near the bottom of the water in the vat, and by a moderate or slow rate of rotation produce a strong current in the water from top to bottom throughout the whole circuit of the vat, essentially the same as set forth in our specification of United States Patent No. 196,965.

The circuit-vat O or O is to be supplied with water Z, with or without alkali therein, and is furnished with a paddle-wheel, I or I, constructed and arranged so that as the wheel revolves and produces a strong current in the water throughout the vat, dry papers progressively introduced in loose condition into the vat will be progressively immersed in the waor auxiliary paddle-wheel, I or I, Figs. 1, 2, 4, in the circuit-vat O or O, and preferablymake such wheel with a greater number of narrower paddles, and rotate it at faster speed than the wheel I or I, in order to expedite the disintegration or pulping of the papers in the water .in the vat.

To avoid having in the paper-mill a large pile or mass of the loose dry papers discharged from the dusting-engine, and prevent the con sequent loss of room and danger from fire, and to avoid having a person or persons remove or stow away the loose papers, or feed them into the pulping-vat, as they are dis charged from the dusting-engine, we combine with the dusting-engine and pulping-vat an automatic transferring device, whereby the loose papers discharged from the dusting-eugine shall be at once progressiy'ely transferred into the pulping or circuit vat.

In carrying out this combination of the dustingengine, circuit-vat furnished with a paddle-wheel, and device for transferring the papers from the dusting-engine into the circuit- Vat, such transferring device varies in construction according to the relative positions of the circuit-vat and dusting-engine. For instance, when, as represented in Figs. 8 and 9, the dusting-engine Bis nearly over the circuit-vat, the paper-transferring device J then preferably consists of a simple chute, through which the loose dusted papers will descend by their gravity from the dusting-engine into the circuit-vat. In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 the papertransferring device J consists of a running endless apron, d, between side guides, d, and an inclined trough or chute, 0, so that the loose papers Y are carried from the dustingengine by the apron (Z, and thereby delivered IIO upon the chute 0, down which they slide or descend by gravity into the circuit vat O. WVhen the circuit pulping-vat is located over, higher than, or far from, the dustingengine, we combine with the dusting-engine and circuit-vat some suitable elevator or conveyer, for gradually or progressively transferring the loose papers into the circuit-vat as fast as they are discharged from the dusting-engine. While the papers are being introduced in successive small quantities or progressively into the water in the circuit-vat G by hand,or from the dusting-engine by automatic means, during one or two hours, (more or less,) we continue the revolutions of the paddle-wheel I, (or paddle-wheels I and I when both wheels are used,) and thereafter we continue the rotations of the paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels in the mixture of papers and water for an hour or two, (more or less,) or until the papers become reduced to the proper pulpy condition to per mit the ready washing out of the dissolved out any accumulation of the dusted papers,

after completing the supply of papers from the dusting-engine to the vat G, and while the papers are being reduced to coarse pulp in that vat, we combine with the dusting-engine and the pulping-vat G, furnished with the paddle-wheel I or paddle-wheels I P, a second circuit-vat, O, furnished with the paddlewheel I or paddle-wheels I I and a conduit or means for transferring the dusted papers in loose condition from the dusting-engine into either the vat O or the vat O at will. In

carrying out this invention the devices for transferring the papers from the dusting-engine into either of the two pulping-vats at will can be of various forms. In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 such transferring device is composed of the turning endless apron d, between side guides, d, and the chutes c and e, furnished with an intermediate switch-gate, f, Fig. 2, hung at f", so that when the gate is turned into its position in full lines in Fig. 2 it will cause the papers that are discharged by the apron d to pass down the chute 0 into the vat O, and so that when the gate is turned into its position shown by dotted lines at f in Fig. 2 it will cause the papers to pass into the vat, O by way of the chute e. To accomplish the same object. the conduit or chute J in Figs. 8 and 9 can behinged or jointed at its upper part, so that its lower end part can be turned from over the vat C to and temporarily secured over a similar adjoining vat. (Not shown in those figures.)

While introducing the papers into the water in the pulping-vat and during the subsequent operation of reducing the papers to pulp by the rotation of the paddle-whrel or paddlewheels in the vat, we generally have the water in the vat at a temperature of from about to 212, and preferably at about to Fahrenheit, or at whatever temperature shall secure the quick solution of the sizing of the paper and of the vehicle of the ink when printed papers are used. To quickly and cheaply accomplish the dissolution of the ink, we have in the heated water in the vat some suitable solventsuch as caustic soda, sodaash, or equivalent alkali. The quantity of solvent used maybe sufficient to make the specific gravity of the water in the vat with the papers about one-third to two-thirds of 1 Baume, more or less. We introduce this alkali into the water in the vat either before, during, or soon after the introduction of the printed papers. When the papers are not printed, the alkali may be omitted. The papers will be reduced to pulp in action of the paddle-wheel without having the water heated; but the moderate heating of the water hastens the pulping of the papers.

To secure the proper continued heating of the water, papers, and pulp in the vats Oand O, we introduce therein steam by suitable means, as, for instance, by the pipes g, having a stop valve or valves, g, Fig. 4:, and communicating at one end with a supply of steam and open at the other end or ends to the water in the vat near its bottom.

In Figs. 1 and 4. h h indicate cooks for introducing water and alkaline water into the vats O and O, and in Fig. 1 the cocks h and h are for admitting water into the vats D and E.

In Figs. 1 and 2 D is a washing circuit-vat, (shown below the vat 0,) and when the papers have become sufficiently pulped and the sizing andink dissolved therefrom in the latter vat the hot pulp and inky water are to be transferred therefrom into the vat D by a pipe, K, upon opening a valve, K, at the top of said pipein the bottom of the vat. Then the valve K is to be closed, and the vat O supplied with clean water. \Vhen the vat 0 becomes sufficiently supplied with papers by the stream from the dusting-engine, that stream of papers is to be turned from the vat G by the switchgate f into the vat G, whereupon the rotation of the paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels in the latter vat is to be resumed, and the rotation of the paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels in the vat G is continued until the papers therein become sufficiently pulped and the sizing and ink thereof dissolved.

The washingvat D has arranged therein the rotary current-producing paddle-wheel L and the rotary strainer or washer M, and may have two or more such washers of any suitable construction, for drawing off the soiled water from the pulp in the vat without letting any considerable portion of the pulp escape. The rotation of the paddle-wheel L in the coarse pulp in water in the vat D causes a strong current therein past the washers M and throughout the circuit of the vat, and at the same time has a soft disintegrating and reducing action on the coarse pulp, while the soiled water is strained out by the rotary washers, and clean water is repeatedly or progressively added,and the rotations of the paddle-wheel and washers are continued until the pulp becomes finer and sufficiently clean and free from sizing and ink to be bleached, if bleaching shall be required.

D is a circuit-vat, like the vat D, and arranged under the vat G, and when the papers become sufficiently pulpedin the heated water in the latter vat by the continued rotation of the paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels therein, the heated pulp in water is transferred at will from the vat G into the vat D by means of the pipe 1C and valve K The vat D has therein the paddle wheel L and rotary strainers or washers, like those in the vat D, whereby the soiled water is strained out and the pulp rethe water in the vat by the fined, the same in the vat D as in the vat D,

as above stated.

To provide means for keeping the pulp and water in the vat D sufficiently hot or warm,

in water in the vat D whenever the same shall be liable to get too cool to retain the sizing and inky matters in proper solution to secure their quick removal by the paddle-wheel and washer or washers, after clean cool water has been addedto the pulp in water in the vat, we combine with the vat D and its paddle-wheel and washers a steam-supply pipe or pipes, i, furnished with a stop-valve, and communicating at one end with a supply of steam and at the other end or ends with the interior of the vat, near its bottom, whereby steam can be admitted at will into the pulp in water being washed in the vat. For a like purpose we likewise combine with the vat D, having a paddle-wheel, L, and a washer or washers, a similar steamsupply pipe, 2', furnished with a stop-valve.

The circuit-vats E and E are under and'like the vats D and D, and are each furnished with a paddle-wheel, L or L and a washer or wash ers, M, the same as the latter vats. \Vhen the pulp in the VatD becomes sufficiently reduced and cleaned by the paddle-wheel and washer or washers in that vat, the pulp in water is at will transferred from that vat into the vat E by the pipe P, Fig. 1, upon opening the valve 1? at the top of the pipe; also, when the pulp becomes properly reduced and cleansed by the action of the paddle-wheel and washer or washers in that vat, the pulp in water is likewise transferred at will from the vat D into the vat E, through the pipe Pflupon opening a valve in the bottom of the vat D at the top of the pipe.

W'e subject the clean reduced pulp in water in the vat E and E to the further soft disintegrating and refining action of the rotating paddle-wheel in the vat, while subjectin the pulp in water to the bleaching aetionof a solution of chloride of lime or other suitable bleaching agent, and while removing excess of the bleaching agent in water by the rotary washer or washers, and while subjecting the pulp in water to the action of a solution ofsulphurous acid. alkaline sulphite, or other suitable agent for neutralizing any trace of the bleaching agent, and while washing out such neutralizing agent.

For increasing the temperature of the pulp and water in the vats E and E, to secure the best bleaching action of the chlorine solution,

, or of the sulphurous or anti-chlorine solution,

the vats are shown furnished with supplypipes k, by which steam can beint-roduced at will into the pulp in water in the vats.

In practice we furnish the rotary washers M M in the eircuityats D D and E E" with means by which the washers can be at will easily raised and held out of and lowered into the water in the vats, the same as represented in Fig, 9, where the washer M is furnished with the usual rack-wheel and pinion gearing, Z, for that purpose. The washer in Fig. 9 is shown lowered into the water in the vat O, and in Fig. 1 the washers M and M are represented as lowered into the water in the vats wheel or paddle-wheels,

D and E; but the washer M in Fig. 9 should be raised and kept out of the water in the vat C while the papers are being introduced into that vat.

Printed papers can be quickly and cheaply transformed into clean, refined, and bleached pulp, according to our improved process, by the use of the apparatus or mechanism represented in Fig. 9, by first reducing the papers to coarse pulp and dissolving the ink and sizing therefrom by progressively introducing the papers in dry loose condition into the water in the vat 0, while the washer M is kept out of the water by the gearing Z, and the paddle-wheel I is'constantl revolved, and steam is admitted into the water for the pipes 9, if desired, until suiiicient papers are introduced, and thereafter continuing the rotation of the paddlewheel, with alkali in the water, and the admission of steam, when desirable, until thepapers become reduced to coarse pulp and the ink and sizing are dissolved therefrom; then refining the coarse pulp, and removing the dissolved ink and sizing with the soiled water by revolving the paddle-wheel and the lowered washer M in the pulp and water in the vat, and adding clean water,with or without theTadmission of steam by the pipe 5/, until the reduced pulp shall be sulfieiently clean for bleaching; then further refi ning the washed pulp and bleaching the same in the water in the same vat by adding thereto the solution of chloride of lime or other bleaching agent, and revolving the paddle-wh eel I in the pulp in water while the washer is out of action, with or without the introduction ofsteam by thepipeg,

until the pulp shall become suitably bleached, and then lowering the washer into the water and continuing the rotation of the washer and paddle-wheel, with the addition ofclean water, when desired, until the bleaching agent shall be sufficiently washed out and the pulp properly refined, and then continuing the rotation of the paddle-wheel, while subjecting the pulp in water to the agent for neutralizing the bleaching agent, and while washing out the neutralizing agent, when necessary.

In order to perform the pulping, washing, and bleaching processes simultaneously upon different port-ions of the paper-stock and trans form the loose papers into clean, refined, bleached pulp, with generally less waste of heat and at less expense than by the use of only one circuit-vat furnished with a paddlewasher or washers, and steam-supply pipes, as just above described, we use apparatus essentially sueh as represented in Fig. 1, and first reduce the loose papers to coarse pulp, and dissolve the ink and sizing thereof in heated alkaline water in the vat O by means of the revolving paddle-wheel I or l",or the wheels I and I when two wheels are in the vat. 'lhen transfer the coarse dirty pulp in water by a conduit, K, into the vat D, having the paddlewheel L and washer or washers M, and thereby fur- IIO ther disintegrate the pulp and remove the dissolved ink and sizing with added water, and then transfer the clean pulp in water by a conduit, P, into the vat E, furnished with a paddle-w heel, L and washer or washers M, and therein bleach the pulp and neutralize and wash out the bleaching agent, and further refine the pulp by the rotations of the washer or washers and the paddlewheel.

Our process of transforming old papers into fine bleached pulp by beating and loosening the papers, progressively introducing them in loose condition into hot or cold water, pulping theintroduced papers, reducing and washing the pulp, and refining and bleaching the washed pulp,can all be performed by the use of one dusting'engine and one circuit-vat furnished with a paddle wheel, washer, and steam-supply pipe, as shown by Figs. 8 and 9; or by using one dusting-engine and the two or three circuit-vats furnished with paddlewheels and washers, as represented in Fig. 1. However, in order to keep the dusting-engine in constant use, and to perform the several operations of dusting the papers, introducing them into the water, pulping the introduced papers, reducing and washing the pulp, and refining and bleaching the washed pulp all at the same time upon successive portions of the paper stock, we use for that purpose a dusting-engine, two circuit pulping-vats, O G, two washing-vats, D D, and two bleachingvats. E E, all furnished with paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels and washers, and connected together substantially as shown by Figs. 1, 2, and 4t, and operating essentially as hereinbefore specified.

\Vhen practicable in carrying out our invention, we commonly prefer to have the dust ing-engine above the pulping-vats, and those vats above the washing-vats, and the latter above the bleaehingvats, and all connected by conduits,through which the materials are transferred by their gravity from each upper apparatus to the next one below. Whenever the vats shall not be thus arranged, we use a rotary fan pump or pumps and connectingpipes or other suitable k nown means for transferring the pulp in water from the pulping vat or vats into the washing vat or vats, and from the latter into the bleaching vat or vats.

In order to prevent the escape into the atmosphere in the mill of much steam and va por from the heated water in the vat O or G in the pulping operation, and from the hot pulp and water while being discharged into the vat D from the vat O, or into the vat D from the vat G, we furnish the vats O and D or O and D with covers N N, or N N Figs. 1. and 4., and connect the upper part of the space in the vat D with the upper portion of the space in the vat O by a pipe, 0; or connect the upper portion of the space in the vat O with the upper part of the space in the vat D by a pipe, 0, so that the steam and vapor in escaping from the hot pulp and water, while being discharged into the vat D or D, shall be conducted back into and saved in the vat O or O by the pipe 0 or O. The coverings N N N N have apertures at j j, Figs. 1 and 4, furnished with movable covers j j to permit at will the free introduction of the loose papers into the pulping-vats and the convenient inspection of the condition of the pulp and water in the vats.

To prevent the escape of dust from the feedinlet a, and from the discharge-outlet b of the dustingengine B, and to progressively withdraw from within the screen G, Fig. 1, and through its meshes int-othe chamber between the screen and the casing H, the light 'dust separated by the beater F from the papers passing through the screen, and to simultaneously convey to the outside of the mill such light dust from within the casing H, we combine therewith a suitable exhauster and blower, Q, Figs. 1, 2, 6, and connect its exhaustinlet by a pipe, Q,with the chamber between the screen G and easing H, and connect the blowingoutlet with a conduit, Q, extending to the outside of the mill. We make the meshes of the screen G of such size as to prevent the draft of air by the eXhauster from carrying through the screen any considerable bits of paper.

To provide excellent means whereby old folded newspapers, pamphlets, and other papers can be easily taken in hand, torn apart, assorted, freed from loose dirt, and thrown upon an endless turning feed-apron, It, of the dusting-engine in the great quantities, and with the uniformity required to fully and properly supply the dusting-engine by persons seated or standing by the feedingapron, we provide tables S, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8, each adapted to support, as at r, a mass, bale, box, barrel, or package of the papers, and each furnished at one end part with a drawer or dirtpit, m, Fig. 1, preferably covered by a screen or grating, m, and arrange the tables with their drawer or dirtpit ends next to the feed-apron It, and at suitable distances apart to permit a person to conveniently stand at one or either side of each table and there handle the papers and throw them upon the feedapron. The number of the tables S will be according to the number of persons required to supply the papers to the dustingengine by the feed-apron. \Vhen the space in front of the dusting-engine istoo limited to accommodate the required number of the tables along the main apron R, we arrange some or all of them along a lateral feed-apron or lateral feed-aprons, located, as indicated, at R in Figs. 1 and 3, to discharge the papers placed thereon onto the main feed-apron.

To render the dusting-engine capable of progressively and thoroughly tearing apart, beating, dusting, and freely discharging in loose condition papers as fast as they shall be properly fed into the rotary screen G, we make that screen with the series of lengthwise internally-projeoting bars a, and in a tapering form, much the largest at its discharge end,

about as illustrated by Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and also make the rotary beater F with its body F and the series of pin-teeth 0 of a similar or nearly corresponding tapering form in general outline and of suitable smaller diameter than the screen, substantially as illustrated in the drawings. \Ve also furnish the screen and beater with driving mechanisms, whereby slow rotary motion is imparted to the hollow tapering screen and a greatly faster rotary motion is given to the tapering beater either in the same or opposite directions. By thus having the slowly-rotating hollow internallyribbed screen G of a greatly tapering form, and the rapidly-revolving pin-toothed beater F of a suitablycorresponding tapering shape, old papers fed into the small end of the screen can be, by said screen and heater, thoroughly broken up, dusted, and discharged freely in loose condition at a greatly faster rate than can be done by a paper-dusting engine of like size and movements, but having either its hollow-ribbed screen or its winged or pintoothed beater of a general cylindrical shape or of nearly uniform diameter throughout.

The pin-teeth o of the beater can be of circular, angular, or other suitable form in cross-section, and arranged together in spiral lines, as shown, or otherwise. The body F of the beater may consist of a tapering log of wood mounted on a shaft,p, and have the teeth 0 driven or screwed into holes in the log; or the body of the beater may be of other suitable construction, and theteeth secured thereto in any suitable manner.

In order to make the beater very durable at a cheap rate, we compose it of rotary shaft 19. a series of cast-iron heads 19, fast on the shaft, a series of tapering staves, q, secured to said heads by bolts or screws q, and the series of pin-tceth 0, having bases 0, secured to said bars by bolts or screws, substantially as shown by Figs. 5, 6, and 7. In the drawings the shaft 1) of the beater F is shown supported by journal-bearings 11 Fig. 5, on the dustingengine frame; and the hollow screen G has circular rim-bearings 1), that are supported by the wheels 1), fast on the shafts 19 that are supported in journal-bearings in the frame of the dusting-engine, so that by the rotation of one of the shafts p the screen will be re volved. Q

In practice the revolutions of the beaterF may be about thirty to one of the screen G, or in a considerably greater or less ratio. Then the screen G is about ten feet long and about five feet in diameter at the large end, and the beaterF is of corresponding size, as illustrated in Fig. 5, a good speed for the screen is from about eightto ten, and for thebeater from about two hundred and fifty to three hundred revolutions in a minute; but good work may be done when they revolve considerably faster or slower. Such different rates of rotation are to be imparted to the screen and beater by any suitable gearing or belting from any suitable motor or motors. In the mechanism represented by Figs. 5, 6, and 7 motion is imparted to the beater F, to the shaft 11 of one of the two pairs of wheels that support the screen G, and to the exhausting-blower Q. all from the one driving-shaft, T, by means of the pulleys, counter-shafts, and belts clearly represented by those figures.

In carrying out our present invention the paddle-wheels can have the active faces of their paddles in planes parallel to the axes and inclined to the radii of the wheels, as shown in the drawings, or in planes parallel to the axes and radii; or the paddles may be of various shapes and arrangements, provided the wheels shall operate as hereinbefore specified. The rate offrotation of the paddlewheels can be considerably varied. A good speed is ten to twelve revolutions in a minute, when the wheel is about seven feet in diameter and has eight paddles, each about eight feet long and three feet wide, arranged as in the wheel I, and the wheel is arranged to revolve in a circuit-vat, C, of corresponding size, as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 9. XVhen the wheels have a greater number of smaller paddles, as the wheels I I l in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, we make the speed of their rotation greater, as indicated in the drawings, by the devices shown for revolving the several paddle-wheels.

In carrying out our improvements the paddle wheels, rotary washers, dustingengine and its feed-apron, exhausting-blower, and devices for transferring the materials are to be actuated by any suitable mechanisms from any suitable motor or motors. In the mechanisms for these purposes represented in Figs. 1 and 2, U is a rotary driving-shaft, from which rotary motion is imparted by gearing at U to the shaft U from which rotary mo tions are imparted to the beater F and screen G of the dusting-engine by the intervening pulleys and counter-shafts and belts shown in those figures. Rotary motions are imparted from the shaft U to the exhausting-blower Q, feed-apron It, and delivery-apron cl by the systems of intermediate pulleys, counter-shafts, and belts represented in Figs. 1 and 2. Botary movements are also imparted from the shaft U to the paddle-wheels I and I by separate belts, pulleys, and gearing, as illustrated at X in Figs. 2, 4, 9, and faster rotary motions are imparted to the paddle-wheels I and I from the shaft U by separate belts and pulleys, as indicated at X in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. Rotary motion is imparted from the shaft U to the shaft V by a belt, V, running on pulleys on those shafts, and from the shaft V to the shaft V by a belt, V, and pulleys V and \V. Rotary movements are imparted from the shaft W to the paddle-wheels L L and washers M in the vats E E by belts, pulleys, and gearing, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and like rotary movements are imparted by similar belts, pulleys, and gearing from the shaft V to the paddle-wheels L L, and washers M in the vats D and D.

By the hereinbeforedescribed process of transforming papers into a pulp by progressively introducing the dry papers in loose con dition into the water in the circuit-rat, and therein simultaneously and subsequently sub jecting the papers to the oft-repeated deep-submerging and soft-disintegrating or fiber-separating action of the paddle-wheel or paddlewheels rotating in the vat, the separate pieces of paper are at first directly exposed on both sides at once to the action of the water in the vat, and aretherein quickly reduced to pulp by the slowly-revolving paddle-wheel or paddlewheels at a faster and cheaper rate than by any other means or process of which we have knowledge. By the further processes of washing and bleaching thepulp and simultaneously reducing and refining the same by subjecting the pulp in water in the circuit-vat or circuitvats to the further soft disintegrating action of the paddle-wheel or paddlewheels slowly rotating in the vat or vats during the washing and bleaching operations, the pulp is washed, bleached, and refined with less cutting and breaking of its fibers, and generally at less eX pense, than by means of the common beating and washing engine or engines as heretofore commonly practiced. The introduction of steam into the mixed papers and water in the circuit-vat greatly promotes and hastens the pulping of the papers, and the dissolution of the ink and sizing by the paddle-wheel or paddlewheels revolving in the vat; also, the combination, with a dusting engine and a pulping circuit-vat, of a conveyer or conduit by which the papers that are discharged from the dusting-engine are at once progressively transferred in loose condition into the pulpingvat is of much practical importance.

\Ve are aware that it is not new to furnish the eircuitvat of a common pulping-engine with a steam-supply pipe, with a cover, or with a paddle-wheel to promote the passage of the pulp through between the rotary cutting-roll and co-acting, raised, pulp-obstructing bed of the pulpingengine, and that it is common in paper-mills to feed the pulp from the first ordinary pulping-engine into a common pulping and washing engine, and thence into an ordinary pulping, bleaching, and washing engine, each of said engines having in its circuit-vat a rotary roll and a raised coacting bed, both armed with cutting or grinding blades. \Ve do not claim nor use any such apparatus, and the same is not necessary in carrying out our present invention, although the combin'ation,with a rotary paperdusting engine and any suitable pulping-en gine having a circuit-vat, of a conduit or conveyer for automatically transferring the dry dusted papers from the dusting-engine into the circuit-vat of the pulping-engine is within the scope of one part of our invention, as herein set forth.

Prior to our present invention printed papers have commonly been reduced to pulp,and the sizing and ink dissolved by first soaking or boiling the papers in alkaline watersomeinto water in the circuit-vat of a common waslr' ing, beating, or pulping engine, and therein subjecting the same to the beating, cutting, or grinding action of the coacting surfaces of the rotary roll and fixed, raised. pulp-obstructing bed of the engine. whereby the previously soaked or boiled papers were reduced to pulp but very slowly, or with much cutting,brea-king, and reduction in size of the already suificientlysmall fibers ofthe papers. Sometimes the papers have been first boiled in alkaline water in a rotary boiler, and then discharged into water in a simple circuit-vat, and therein reduced to pulp by merely subjecting the same to the soft fiber-separating action of apaddlewheel slowly rotating in the vat, as set forth in the aforesaid Patent No. 196,965, and we do not herein claim any process or apparatus described or shown in that patent.

We believe that heretofore papers have 00- casionall y been reduced to pulp by putting the dry papers into water in the circuit-vat of a common pulping-engine and therein subjecting the papers (with or without alkali in the water, and with or without heat introduced by steam) to the beating, tearing, cutting. and grinding action of the knives or blades of the coacting surfaces of the rapidlyrevolving roll and fixed inclined pulpretarding bed of the pulpingengine, whereby the papers were reduced to pulp but slowly, or with so much breaking, cutting, grinding, or violent rending of the already sufficientlysmall fibers of the paper as to thereby greatly reduce them in size, and correspondingly lessen their value for making into paper.

By our herein-described improvement in repulping papers we avoid the great cost of pro curing and expense of using any ordinary pulping engine for that purpose, and also avoid the large cost of procuring and the danger of using the rotary boilers which are commonly used in boiling the papers in alkaline water, and which have sometimes exploded with great destruction in paper-mills. By

our said improvement we progressively dissolve the sizing, and simultaneously separate the fibers of the papers into pulp at a much faster and cheaper rate, and with far less waste or diminution of the already sufficiently-fine fibers of the papers than by the use of the ordinary pulping-engine upon papers introduced thereto either in dry condition or after having been soaked or boiled in alkaline water in the usual manner.

We claim as our inventionl. The herein-described improvement in repulping papers, which consists in progressively introducing the papers in dry loose pieces into water in a circuit-vat, and simultaneously and thereafter subjecting the introduced papers in the water in the vat (with or without heat or alkali) to the repeated sub- IlO merging and soft-fiber-separating action of only a paddle-wheel or paddle-wheels deeply and moderately rotating in the water in the vat, as set fort h.

2. The combination, with a rotary paperdusting engine and a pulping apparatus having a circuitvat, of a conduit or couveyer for automatically transferring the dusted papers from the dusting-engine into the circuitvat, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a rotary paperdusting engine and acircuit-vat furnished with apaddle-wheel, of a conduit or conveyer for progressively transferring the dusted papers in loose condition from the dusting-engine into said circuit-vat, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with a rotary paperdusting engine and two circnitvats, each furnished with a paddle-wheeLofa conduit or c0nveyer made adjustable, substantially as described, whereby the dusted papers can be transferred at will from the dusting-engine into each of the circuit-vats at different times, as set forth.

5. The combined dusting,pulping, and washing apparatus consisting of a rotary paperdusting engine, the pulping circuit-vat O, furnished with the paddlew11eel I, the conduit or conveyor for transferring the papers from the dusting-engineinto said pulping-vat, the pulp reducing and washing circuit-vat D, furnished with the paddle-wheel L and washer M, and a valved conduit, K, for transferring the pulp in water from the vat G into the vat I), substantially as setforth.

6. The combined dusting,pulping, and washing apparatus consisting of a rotary paperdusting engine, the two pulping circuit-vats O 0, each furnished with a rotary paddlewheel, the adjustable conduit or conveyer adapted to transfer the papers from the dusting-engine into each of said pulping-vats at different times, the two pulp reducing and washing circuit-vats D D, each furnished with a rotary paddle-wheel and rotary washers, and valved conduits for transferring the pulp in water from the vat G into the vat D,and from the vat G into the vat D, substantially as described.

7. The combined dusting, pulping, washing, and bleaching apparatus consisting of a rotary paper-dusting engine, the circuit-vats O 0, each furnished with a rotary paddle-wheel, the adjustable conduit or conveyer for transferring the papers from the dusting-engine into each of said circuit vats at different times, the two circuit-vats D D, each furnished with a rotary paddle-wheel, and rotary washer, the valved conduits for trans fcrriug the pulp in water from the vat G into the vat D, and from the vat 0 into the vat D", the circuit-vats E E, each furnished with a rotary paddle-wheel and rotary washer, the valved conduits for transferring the pulp in water from the vat D into the vat E, and from the vat D into the vat E, and ineansfor operating the said dusting-engine, paddleavheels, and washers, substantially as set forth.

8. The improved paper-pulping apparatus consisting of the circuit-vat 0, having an essentially level or unobstructed bottom througlr out, the rotary paddle-wheel I,dippi ng deeply into one stretch of the circuit-vat, the steam supply pipe 9, for admitting steam into water in the vat, and the cover N, having the openingj, for admitting papersinto the vat forward of the paddlewheel, substantiallyasset forth.

9. The combined paper-pulping and washing apparatus, consisting of the pulping circuit-vat G, furnished with a rotary paddlewheel, a steam-supply pipe for introducing steam into water in the vat, and a cover, N, over the paddle-wheel and vat, the pulp reducing and washing circuit-vat D, furnished with a rotary paddle-wheel, rotary washer, and cover N, over that vat and paddle-wheel, the valved conduit for discharging the hot pulp and Water from the vat G into the vat D, and a conduit, 0, for simultaneously conducting back steam and vapor from the covered vat D into the covered vat G, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a paper-dusting engine having a rotary beater, a rotary screen surrounding the beater, and a close chamber immediately surrounding the screen, of an exhausting-blower having its suction in communication with said chamber, substantially as described.

11. A paper-dusting engine furnished with the feeding-apron It, and the paper-supporting tables S, having dust-pits on, covered by screens, and arranged in respect to the feeding-apron as described.

12. The improved paper -dusting engine composed of the tapering tubular screen G, having the internal lengthwise ribs 92, the tapering toothed beater F, within the screen, and means for simultaneously rotating the said tapering screen and tapering beater at greatly different speeds, as described.

13. In a paper-dusting engine, the tapering rotary beater composed of the shaft 19, heads 19, tapering staves q, and series of pin-teeth 0, all shaped, arranged, and secured together substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3d day of June, 1884..

HIRAM ALLEN. LYMAN S. MASON. \Vit n esscs:

CHAS. T. Briton, GEORGE A. FERRIS. 

